Friday, May 28, 2010

While your Music Directors-turned-Blog Directors may disagree on the worth of celebrating holidays indiscriminately (for the record, Caroline's in favor of personally celebrating all holidays from Cinco de Mayo to Mardi Gras to St. Patrick's Day, while Igor has some self-restraint), there's one type of "holiday" that's almost universally loved: the long weekend. Memorial Day is a perfect example, kicking off lazy summer days and putting an end to the awkward purgatory in between the end of the semester and the real start of summer. Weekends are great-- in the words of Dr. Dog, it's time to pick yourself up off the floor-- and nothing's like falling asleep Sunday night to the sweet realization that you have another entire day off. Below, some of this summer's recent quintessential jams, designed specifically to replace the mind-numbing chant of Gaga's inane "Alejandro," ever-present on the airwaves. (Not that I feel strongly about it).

1. Villagers: The summery, harmony-heavy chorus and Shins-like phrasing leave this song on repeat for me.2. The Franks: Noisy power chords, garage band riffs and puppy love.3. SSLYBY: A new one complete with handclaps from the kings of simple indie-pop feel-good music. Groovy, pleasant, and so so hooky. Why aren't they more famous yet?! Pretty girls don't just park where they want to, they gotta go round in circles like we all do.4 .Taio Cruz & Luda: Oh come on. This is the best.5. The Donkeys: A recommendation from our biz director Jared. Stones-esque, with a chorus that kills: I know I'm handsome, but I get lonely too. 6. Outkast: So glad this is making a resurgence. Real guys go for real down to Mars girls!7. Miike Snow (DJ Medhi remix): Well damn, if this isn't the most pleasant yet captivating jam since The Girls Can Tell remixed the Beach Boys.8. Dead Gaze: Nothing spells summer like some lo-fi surf pop, but this is even better, straight outta Mississippi (not exactly the surf pop capital of the world) with a children's chorus opening and sleigh bells (no, not those Sleigh Bells). And no, not thatSimple Man.